plain that Lettie's school friends preferred the few boys who had come
up from town to any of the farmers' sons who had come to the husking.

"I guess you're right, Sister. They don't want us--much," admitted
Hiram, slowly.

"Then let's both go home," said Sister, sadly.

"No. That wouldn't be serving Mr. Bronson--or Lettie--right. We were
invited in good faith, I reckon, and the Bronsons haven't done anything
to offend us.

"But you and I'll go back there and dance together. You dance with
me--or with Henry; and I'll stick to the country girls. If Lettie
Bronson's friends from boarding school think they are so much better
than us folks out here in the country, let us show them that we can have
a good time without them."

"Oh, I'll go back with you, Hiram," cried Sister, gladly, and the young
fellow was a bit conscience-stricken as he noted her changed tone and
saw the sparkle that came into her eye.

Had he neglected Sister because Lettie Bronson was about? Well! perhaps
he had. But he made up for it with the attention he paid to Sister
during the remainder of the evening.

They went home early, however, and Hiram felt somewhat grave after the
corn husking. Had Lettie Bronson invited the country-bred young folk
living about her father's home, to meet her boarding school friends,
and the town boys, merely that the latter might be compared with the
farmer-folk to their disfavor?

He could not believe that--really. Lettie Bronson might be thoughtless,
and a little proud; but she was still a princess to Hiram, and he could
not think this evil of her.

But there were too many duties every day for the young farmer to give
much thought to such problems. Harvesting was not complete yet, and
soon flurries of snow began to drive across the fields and threaten the
approach of winter.

Finally the wind came out of the northwest for more than a day, and
toward evening the flakes began to fall, faster and faster, thicker and
thicker.

"It's going to be a snowy night--a real baby blizzard," declared Hiram,
stamping his feet on the porch before coming into the warm kitchen with
the milkpail.

"Oh, dear! And I thought you'd go over to Pollock's with me to-night,
Hi," said Sister.

"Mabel an' I are goin' to make our Christmas presents together, and
she's expecting me."

"Shucks! 'Twon't be fit for a girl to go out if it snows," said Mother
Atterson.

But Hiram saw that Sister was much disappointed, and he had tried